Degree Requirements

In addition to the requirements of the academic major, students must comply with the General Academic Regulations for Graduation  and Undergraduate Academic Policies .  As part of these policies, students must complete the General College Curriculum , which is based on the degree.

Biology and the General College Curriculum

Students may use biology or environmental science courses to fulfill four to eight semester hours of the general college science requirement. (See General College Curriculum  for details.) Science courses without laboratories do not meet the  science requirement of the General College Curriculum.

Biology Major Core

A major in biology (B.S. degree) may be obtained within a general curriculum or one which follows specific guidelines for pre-medicine & health science, pre-physical therapy, and Biotechnology (preparation for graduate or professional schools). The student majoring in biology must complete a minimum of 39 hours in biology, and these must include credit for

• BIOL 111 - Basic Biology I (4)
• BIOL 113 - Basic Biology II (4)
• BIOL 205 - Introduction to Research and Scientific Literature (3)
• BIOL 451 - Seminar (1)

Biology, General Biology Concentration Elective Requirements

All biology majors are required to take additional credit from 3 elective lists which differ depending on the chosen concentration. In addition, students must take a minimum of 3-7 hours open BIOL electives so that their total BIOL credits equal a minimum of 39 credits.

• Elective List A (8 credit hours) – choose two:

• BIOL 203 - Zoology (4)
• BIOL 221 - Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (4)
• BIOL 285 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4)
• BIOL 286 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II (4)
• BIOL 310 - Advanced Human Physiology (3)
• BIOL 437 - Animal Physiology (4)

• Elective List B (6-8 credit hours) – choose two:

• BIOL 202 - Botany (4)
• BIOL 224 - Vertebrate Natural History (4)
• BIOL 226 - Ornithology (4)
• BIOL 260 - Special Topics in Introductory Biology for Biology Majors (1-4)
• BIOL 327 - Ecology (4)
• BIOL 438 - Plant Physiology (4)
• ENVS 321 - Environmental Toxicology (3)
• ENVS 322 - Aquatic Ecology (3)

• Elective List C (6-8 credit hours) – choose two:

• BIOL 201 - Cellular & Molecular Biology (4)
• BIOL 250 - Histology (3)
• BIOL 275 - Fundamental Microbiology (4)
• BIOL 315 - Bioinformatics (3)
• BIOL 319 - Biomedical Ethics (3)
• BIOL 334 - Microbiology and Immunology (4)
• BIOL 335 - Immunology (3)
• BIOL 336 - Medical Microbiology (3)
• BIOL 342 - Genetics (4)
• BIOL 350 - Molecular Basis of Disease (4)
• BIOL 430 - Biochemistry (4)
• BIOL 508 - Molecular Techniques (4)

Ancillary Requirements

• MATH 160 - Elementary Statistics (3)
• CHEM 111 - General Chemistry I (4)
• CHEM 113 - General Chemistry II (4)
• CHEM 227 - Organic Chemistry I (4)

•  

  Students take 1 of the following Math courses in addition to the above listing:

• MATH 112 - Trigonometry (3)

• OR

• MATH 122 - Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4)

• Students must complete one of the following Physics series:

• PHYS 221 - General Physics I (4)
• PHYS 222 - General Physics II (4)

• OR

• PHYS 251 - Fundamentals of Physics I (4)
• PHYS 252 - Fundamentals of Physics II (4)

Biology Major Notes:

Recommended Graduate Entrance Courses

The following courses are recommended for entrance into graduate programs:

• BIOL 441 – Biology Research (1-3)
• BIOL 465 – Biology Internship

Notes:
Students should check the specific requirements for each graduate school program. Some schools may have additional requirements. The GRE is required for admission to most graduate schools.
A student will significantly strengthen their application to graduate school with the addition of work experience in laboratory or field setting. This work may include volunteer or paid work.